‘Replace DKS as KPCC chief’ campaign reaches high command’s doorsteps

A group of Congress leaders from Karnataka has intensified its demand to replace D K Shivakumar as the KPCC president and create three more posts of deputy chief minister. 

Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi on Tuesday met Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal and pressed these demands ‘in the interest of the party and the government’. Jarkiholi, one of the strong contenders for the state unit president’s post, is learnt to have urged the party top brass to change Shivakumar immediately.

The zilla and taluk panchayat elections are expected to be held soon and a new state Congress president should be appointed before that, he reportedly suggested to the party top brass. 

He demanded the creation of 3 more posts of DyCMs to give representation to Veerashaiva-Lingayat, SC/ST and minority communities, sources said. Currently, Shivakumar, a Vokkaliga, is the only DyCM. 

Co-operation Minister K N Rajanna also arrived in the national capital and Home Minister G Parameshwara is expected to arrive on Wednesday.

These two leaders are planning to meet Kharge and Venugopal. Jarkiholi, Rajanna and Parameshwara, identified with CM Siddaramaiah’s camp, have been demanding the appointment of a new KPCC president and 3 additional posts of DyCMs. They have been demanding that the one man one post rule of the party should be applicable to Shivakumar also. 

Jarkiholi told reporters that he met Kharge and Venugopal and apprised them about the party affairs in the state.

He said that he had shelved the plan to take a few legislators on foreign tour to avoid adverse media publicity. Separately, Rajanna told reporters that though he came to meet union ministers regarding development works in Tumakuru district, he would meet the party’s top leaders to discuss political developments in the state. 

Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre also met Venugopal here. Khandre, who is also eyeing the DyCM’s post, told reporters that he discussed about political developments in the state with Venugopal and there was nothing special in it.